French Frigate Downs Drones Over Red Sea

 A French frigate - File photo by AFP
A French frigate - File photo by AFP
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French Frigate Downs Drones Over Red Sea

 A French frigate - File photo by AFP
A French frigate - File photo by AFP

A French frigate shot down two drones in the Red Sea that were heading towards it from the coast of Yemen, the French military said on Sunday.

"The interception and destruction of these two identified threats" were carried out late Saturday by the frigate Languedoc, which operates in the Red Sea, the general staff said in a press release.

The interceptions happened at 2030 GMT and 2230 GMT, it added, and were 110 km (68 miles) from the Yemeni coast, AFP reported.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Saturday threatened to attack any vessels heading to Israeli ports unless food and medicine were allowed into the besieged Gaza Strip.

The latest warning comes amid heightened tensions in the Red Sea and surrounding waters following a series of maritime attacks by Houthis since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.

An American destroyer shot down three drones last week while providing assistance to commercial ships in the Red Sea targeted by attacks from Yemen, according to Washington, which denounced "a direct threat" to maritime security.



Israeli Military: Division Deployed in Lebanon Now Preparing for Gaza

General view of destroyed buildings in North Gaza, as seen from the Israel-Gaza border, March 23, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
General view of destroyed buildings in North Gaza, as seen from the Israel-Gaza border, March 23, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
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Israeli Military: Division Deployed in Lebanon Now Preparing for Gaza

General view of destroyed buildings in North Gaza, as seen from the Israel-Gaza border, March 23, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
General view of destroyed buildings in North Gaza, as seen from the Israel-Gaza border, March 23, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

The Israeli military said on Sunday that one of its divisions that had operated in Lebanon was preparing for possible activity in Gaza.

"Following the situational assessment, the 36th Division has begun preparations for operations in the Southern Command. Over the past months, the division has completed operations in Lebanon and several months of operational activity in the northern arena," the military said in a statement.

It distributed video of tanks unloaded in a field and a caption that read: "Preparations of the 36th Division for Operations in the Gaza Strip."